View Information Collection Request (ICR) Package

OMB Control No: 1902-0073	ICR Reference No: 201409-1902-001
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201406-1902-004
Agency/Subagency: FERC	Agency Tracking No: FERC-512
Title: FERC-512, [Final Rule in RM14-20] Application for Preliminary Permits
Type of Information Collection: No material or nonsubstantive change to a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 09/04/2014
	Date Received in OIRA: 09/03/2014
Terms of Clearance: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320,the revised information collection is approved. The terms of the previous clearance remain in effect, including the expiration date of 09/30/2017. The agency has offered to continue to monitor actual burden hours on respondents and to adjust estimates accordingly upon resubmission.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	09/30/2017	09/30/2017	09/30/2017
Responses	125	0	125
Time Burden (Hours)	4,625	0	4,625
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Abstract: RM14-20. This ICR requests approval of non-substantive changes in the final rule in RM14-20. FERC issued this Final Rule in RM14-20 (Order 798, issued 7/17/2014) to make minor changes to its regulations. This Final Rule amends the requirements of 18 C.F.R. § 4.39(a) pertaining to the format and dimensions of maps and drawings submitted to the Commission by applicants and licensees in the Commission's hydropower program. Specifically, the amendments: 1) remove the requirement that applicants and licensees submit copies of certain project maps and drawings in microfilm format on aperture cards; and 2) change the minimum and maximum dimensions applicable to submitted maps and drawings. These amendments modernize the regulations to reflect technological advances and the manner in which the majority of filers currently submit their drawings, and to relieve burdens placed on applicants and licensees (who formerly may have had to request a waiver to file in this format or size). For further info., see the non-substantive justification available in "Supplementary Documents." [There will be 3 separate ICRs related to this final rule, one each for FERC-500 and FERC-505 (both of which are pending), and this submittal for FERC-512.] Because this order updates the Commission's regulations and reflects current industry practice related to the creation and submittal of maps and drawings, this change is being submitted to OMB for review under the Paperwork Reduction Act as a 'non-substantive change' to FERC-500, FERC-505, and FERC-512. At this time, FERC is not modifying the burden or cost associated with these collections. FERC-512, in general. FERC is responsible for licensing nonfederal hydropower projects if they are on lands or waters subject to Congressional authority. Part I of the Federal Power Act(FPA) gives FERC the authority to issue licenses for hydroelectric projects on these waters. FERC issues licenses for terms up to 50 years for projects "best adapted to a comprehensive plan" for improving a waterway for beneficial public purposes. Benefits include power generation, irrigation, flood control, navigation, fish and wildlife, municipal water supply, and recreation. Preliminary permits, issued for three years, reserve rights to study the feasibility of hydropower development at a specific site, but do not authorize construction of any hydropower facilities. The application for preliminary permit process is pursuant to FERC's defined role, as mandated under Sections 4(f), 5 and 7 of the Federal Power Act. The purpose of obtaining a preliminary permit as noted above, is to maintain a priority status for an application for a license, while the applicant conducts site examinations and surveys to prepare maps, plans, specifications and estimates. This period of time also provides the applicant with the opportunity to conduct engineering, economic and environmental feasibility studies; plus make the financial arrangements for funding the construction of the site. The conditions under which the priority will be maintained are set forth in each permit. During the term of the permit, no other application for a preliminary permit or application for license submitted by another party can be accepted.

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 16 USC 797 et. al. Name of Law: Federal Power Act

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	79 FR 19888	04/10/2014
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	79 FR 48304	07/21/2014
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
FERC-512, Application for Preliminary Permits,

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved
Annual Number of Responses	125	125
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	4,625	4,625
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: There are no changes to reporting requirements. Moreover, there is no change to the burden hours per response. However, there is a decrease in the number of respondents that results in an overall decrease in total annual burden for the information collection. Over the past 1 to 2 years, there has been a downward trend in the number of respondents, and this trend is expected to continue. The precise reasons for the downward trend are unknown, but it appears to coincide with expiring federal and state tax credits for hydropower development and a decrease in potential hydropower sites that haven't already been identified and studied.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $738,047

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Is the Supporting Statement intended to be a Privacy Impact Assessment required by the E-Government Act of 2002? No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Uncollected

Agency Contact: Sheila Lampitoc 202 502-6193

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